1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sliding gate valve for a vessel containing molten metal that includes a slider unit longitudinally guided in a slider housing and having a push rod. The push rod may be connected by a coupling to a drive rod of the linear actuator, a mounting receiving the linear actuator being provided on the slider housing.
2. State of the Prior Art
One known device for actuating a slide gate valve is disclosed in the publication EPA-A -0110028. In this publication, a fixed slider portion is flange connected by a coupling to a linear actuator. A coupling is provided for releasably connecting the removable slider portion to the piston rod of the actuator. The coupling for the flange connection of the linear actuator is constructed as a bayonet coupling. The piston-cylinder unit is pushed in the direction of its axis of movement into the fixed slider portion, and is subsequently secured therein by rotation. In practice, however, this maneuver is not practical, because the piston-cylinder unit is of very heavy construction. The coupling for the releasable connection for the slider portion to the piston rod is constructed so that by moving the piston rod, an element on the front of the piston rod engages a coupling element on the slider unit, and a connection is produced when the cylinder is rotated. This also relies on laborious rotation of the cylinder.